Osteospermum plant named ‘Tra Yel’

ABSTRACT

A new  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Tra Yel’ particularly distinguished by the medium to large yellow ray florets, early flowering habit, compact and upright plant habit with slightly yellow-green leaves and excellent branching.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Osteospermumecklonis.

Varietal denomination: ‘Tra Yel’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Osteospermum, botanically known asOsteospermum ecklonis, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name‘Tra Yel.’

‘Tra Yel’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivarhas medium to large yellow ray florets, early flowering habit, compactand upright plant habit with slightly yellow-green leaves and excellentbranching.

‘Tra Yel’ originated from a hybridization made in July 2006 in acontrolled breeding environment in Andijk, Netherlands. The seed wassown in September 2006.

The female parent was the proprietary plant designated ‘O04-223-1,’unpatented, with cream and blue eyed flowers. ‘O04-223-1’ has less vigorand less compact plant than ‘Tra Yel.’

The male parent of ‘Tra Yel’ was the proprietary plant designated as‘O04-214-3,’ unpatented, with terracotta colored ray florets.‘O04-214-3’ has less vigor and taller plant habit than ‘Tra Yel.’

‘Tra Yel’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross in January 2007 in a controlled environment in Andijk,Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Tra Yel’ was accomplished whenterminal cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in January2007 in a controlled environment in Andijk, Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in January 2007, and continuing thereafter, has demonstratedthat the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘TraYel’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations ofasexual reproduction.

‘Tra Yel’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in Canada onJan. 30, 2009. ‘Tra Yel’ has not been made publicly available more thanone year prior to the filing of this application.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of thesecharacteristics distinguishes this Osteospermum as a new and distinctvariety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘Tra Yel’ with colors being as true as possible withan illustration of this type.

The photographic drawing shows in FIG. 1., a flowering plant of the newvariety growing in a outdoor field trial in Gilroy, Calif. in the summerof 2009 and in

FIG. 2., a close-up of the flowers. These plants are approximately 7-8months of age.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in late summer 2009in Salinas, Calif. under natural light. These plants were started andgrown in Gilroy, Calif., and then planted into an outdoor garden inSalinas. Plants were approximately 8-9 months old.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘TRA YEL’ AND A SIMILARVARIETY KLE0E05524’ (U.S. Plant ‘Tra Yel’ Pat. No. 18,517) Ray petalcolor: RHS 10A RHS 14A Foliage length: Shorter Longer Vigor: More Less

-   Plant:    -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Compact, semi-upright and mounded            plant habit. Vigorous habit.        -   Plant height.—About 40 cm.        -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—About 46 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 50-55 cm.        -   Garden performance and tolerance to weather.—Very good.        -   Crop time to flowering.—About 10 weeks.-   Roots:    -   -   Number of days to initiate and produce roots.—24-27 days at            about 22 degrees.        -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.        -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Immature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 146B.        -   Lower surface.—Closest to RHS 146B.        -   Mature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 146A.        -   Lower surface.—Closest to RHS 146B.        -   Length.—4.3-5.0 cm.        -   Width.—1.1-2.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Broadly elliptical.        -   Base shape.—Attenuate.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Slightly serrate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Hirsute.        -   Lower surface.—Hirsute.        -   Color of veins, upper surface.—Indistinct.        -   Color of veins, lower surface.—Indistinct.        -   Petiole color.—RHS 146C.        -   Length.—1.3-1.6 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.25-0.3 cm.        -   Texture.—Hirsute.-   Stem:    -   -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—5-6.        -   Color of stem.—Between RHS 144A and RHS 144B with slight            anthocyanins in patches closest to RHS 176B.        -   Length of stem.—35-40 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.4 cm.        -   Length of internodes.—1.5-2.0 cm.        -   Texture.—Glabrous.        -   Color of peduncle.—Between RHS 144A and RHS 144B.        -   Length of peduncle.—12-15 cm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—0.2 cm.        -   Texture.—Hirsute and hispid.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Daisy-type inflorescence form, held above the foliage,            arising from leaf axis. Disc and ray florets developing            acropetally on a capitulum. Freely flowering habit, numerous            inflorescences per plant develop over time.        -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—35-45.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—11-14 days.        -   Fragrance.—None.-   Bud (just before opening/showing color):    -   -   Color.—RHS 1B with RHS 166B to RHS 166C in slight patches.        -   Length.—2.0-2.5 cm.        -   Width.—0.9-1.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblate.-   Immature inflorescence:    -   -   Diameter.—4.0-4.5 cm.        -   Color of ray florets, upper surface.—RHS 12B but a little            lighter.        -   Lower surface.—RHS 6C base color overlaid with RHS 165A in            varying shades and mainly down the middle.-   Mature inflorescence:    -   -   Diameter.—4.5-5.5 cm.        -   Depth.—2.0 cm.        -   Total diameter of ‘disc’.—0.9-1.1 cm.-   Ray florets:    -   -   Average quantity of florets.—14-18 in 1-2 whorls.        -   Color of florets, upper surface.—RHS 10A with RHS 176B            basally.        -   Lower surface.—Closest to RHS 9B with varying hues of RHS            166A and RHS 165A down the middle.        -   Length.—2.8-3.0 cm.        -   Width.—0.6-0.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex shape.—Praemorse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Papillose.        -   Lower surface.—Papillose.-   Disc florets:    -   -   Average quantity of florets.—About 55.        -   Color of florets.—About RHS 4D but lighter.        -   Length.—0.5-0.6 cm.        -   Width.—0.15 cm.        -   Shape.—Tubular, enlongated.        -   Apex shape.—Acute, 5 pointed.-   Phyllaries:    -   -   Quantity.—14-15.        -   Color, upper surface.—RHS 146A.        -   Lower surface.—RHS 146A.        -   Length.—0.7-1.1 cm.        -   Width.—0.75-0.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Linear.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Based.—Fused.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth.        -   Lower surface.—Scabrous and/or hirsute.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Found on both florets.        -   Pistil.—1.        -   Length.—0.3 cm.        -   Style color.—About RHS 200A but more red.        -   Style length.—0.15-0.25 cm.        -   Stigma color.—About RHS 155D.        -   Androecium.—Found on only disc florets.        -   Stamens.—4-5.        -   Color of filaments.—RHS 155D.        -   Length filaments.—0.3 cm.        -   Anther color.—About RHS 200A but with more red.        -   Anther length.—0.4 cm.        -   Anther shape.—Oblong.        -   Color of pollen.—RHS 17B.        -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.        -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been observed on this hybrid.-   Disease/pest resistance: Disease/pest resistance has not been    observed on this hybrid.

1. A new and distinct variety of Osteospermum plant named ‘Tra Yel,’substantially as illustrated and described herein.